1. The Saw Cleaver

This is the best weapon to use as training wheels when you start your quest. It's pretty lightweight, so it allows you to run in and thrash on your enemies without tuckering out. You may graduate to better weapons as you continue, but when you're naked and afraid the saw cleaver will see you through.

2. Hunter Armor Set

You can purchase the Hunter armor early on, but you can also drop into the sewers before you face the first boss to snatch a set for free. It's got different stats than the Bath Messenger's Yharnam Hunter set too! Every bit helps when you start out so weak.

3. The Hunter Axe

The Hunter Axe is another early weapon, but you can hold onto it for a long time by fortifying it with blood stones and gems. It's got incredible reach, and enough devastating power to stun most enemies with a full charge. Once you learn to time its heavy swings, you become an unstoppable force.

4. Father Gascoigne's Armor Set

After wailing against an impenetrable boss for hours, nothing's more satisfying than wearing the clothes off his back. You can purchase them when your Insight hits 10 from the Insight Bath Messenger hidden in the Hunter's Dream.

5. The Repeating Pistol

This fella can be tough to manage since it sucks up your ammo at 2 bullets a shot. It's worth it to have in your arsenal though. For stunning giant targets, accept no substitute. You can purchase it after defeating the first boss.

6. Doll Armor Set

As you get deeper into Bloodborne you'll quickly realize armor doesn't carry the same weight it did in the Souls games (literally and figuratively). While you can mix and match sets to min/max stats for particular situations, you'll ultimately find the sets to be fairly balanced and mostly a matter of fashion. There's no shame in sporting the Doll set.

7. Ludwig's Holy Blade

You can buy Ludwig's Blade inside Hunter's Dream after you acquire the Radiant Sword Hunter Badge. If you've been around the block in the Souls games, then you'll feel right at home wielding this versatile death dealer.

8. Crowfeather Armor Set

In addition to looking ridiculously creepy and cool, the Crowfeather set has high blood defense, which could give you an edge against a fellow hunter in PvP. Fashionborne is the way to rock it.

9. The Tonitrus

If not the absolute best weapon in the game, the Tonitrus (aka the lightning mace) is at least the most fun to wield. When it's tricked it out, it deals some major bolt damage on enemies. Snatch it up outside Yahar'gul Chapel.

10. Bone Ash Armor Set

In addition to being menacing as hell, the Bone Ash set has some of the best overall physical defense stats in the game. It's very popular in PvP too, kinda the equivalent of everyone choosing Ken in Street Fighter. (Image via Six String)

11. The Cannon

You can score yourself a cannon in the Forbidden Woods, and you'll be so glad you did. It consumes a whopping 10 Blood Bullets per fire, but it's a great party trick to bust out on an unsuspecting invader, particularly when you spend all the stones and rocks necessary to upgrade it fully.

12. Graveguard Armor Set

If you're a Dark Souls veteran looking to replace your Crimson set, then you've found your match. If you want the cool hooded mask that goes along with it, continue where you found the set and look for the road with a fire and a whole lotta snakes.

13. The Threaded Cane

Many swear by the Threaded Cane, and while you may be tempted to call them crazy, it's got tremendous reach, and its whip form works great for crowd control. It's a bit harder to stagger enemies with, but in a skillful player's hands, you can witness the second coming of Simon Belmont.

14. Cainhurst Armor Set

Cainhurst is maxed out in physical defense stats, so it's tempting to keep it on once you acquire it. Keep in mind it's weak in elemental defense, so make sure to swap it if you face a boss that dishes out elemental damage.

15. The Blade of Mercy

After helping Eileen the Crow (or killing her if that's how you roll), you'll get the Crow Hunter Badge which allows you to purchase Blade of Mercy. It's a trick weapon, so when it's transformed you'll be duel-wielding daggers and taking out bosses like yesterday's garbage.

16. Choir Armor Set

This is the outfit you'll want to switch to when you're up against a magic blasting foe if you're maining the Cainhurst set. You'll be as clean as a church boy with the highest magic defense stats Bloodborne has to offer. (Image via QP Games)

17. The Stake Driver

The Stake Driver catches a lot of heat for its poor range, but it scales decently with strength and skill. If you get over your fear of fighting in close quarters and practice with charging a bit, you'll unlock its true potential.

18. The Wooden Shield

Just kidding. The shield was almost certainly included in the game as a joke, since Bloodborne's design pushes you to be fast and agressive. Although, as weak as the wooden shield is, you could use it to show off in a weaponless challenge run.